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"I didn’t put a lot of stock in ger than his brain And it’s not as if I didn’t know you were dating people over the last year Life goes on, right? I dated someone too"

He did? I had no idea I want to ask who it hen it was Are they still dating? He said "dated," right? Past tense?

"Not that one thing has to do with the other," he says quickly "Apples and oranges"

"Right," I say quietly "Apples and oranges"

He shakes his head "My point is, Reagan has issues She’s wounded and eht People do stupid things when they’re acting on e!"

One brow lifts

"Not wrong enough to get abandoned," I aree to this trip, but I caitators are gone, and I’ht where I want to be, so maybe it all worked out"

"Are you insane? This is a co to do? Maybe there’s another way to get back that doesn’t involve hiking all day A bus that stops near the parking lot? The Sierras public transportation here has to connect to other nearby towns Surely, there’s so back to Melita Hills"

"Already thought of that I have a ht-hour hike back through the mountains That’s without breaks And for so--"

Heten, eleven hours Up and down extraordinarily steep inclines A hike for experienced hikers ant to challenge their bodies It’s labeled on theby leaving us here," Lennon continues "Reagan’s an asshole, but she’s not inhu will turn out fine, and he probably convinced Kendrick and Suan’s note in oing, blowing the tinder and rearranging sticks I think I’m in shock Maybe I should put oing to miss the star party," I say,I should be worried about, but I’ too quickly, flashing through minor details as it searches for a solution to our predicament

Lennon looks up froht?"

"Yeah," I say "I was supposed to catch a bus to Condor Peak in a couple of days My astronomy club--Dr Viramontes, you know?" Lennon’s moms occasionally used to drive s, so of course he knows When he nods, I briefly explain the star party "I was supposed to er for o I would be out of her hair, and she could enjoy Brett’s company in the open God, what an idiot I’ve been

"Suppose I can just text Avani e get to a place where there’s service," I say absently There’s definitely no service out here "Avani needs to know not to expect inally planned," Lennon says, so behind his eyes

A bird trills loudly on a distant branch "It’s too early to catch a bus," I explain "No one will be at Condor Peak yet I can’t just sit around there twiddling my thumbs for a couple of days and wait for people to show up"

"I’ a bus Condor Peak isn’t all that far from here"

"It’s not?"

He reaches into his jacket vest and pulls out his notebook After a few s around, he finds athe"This is where we are And this is Condor Peak" Henumbers under his breath as he counts the’s Forest Maybe three"